Collected Fudz

Pasting in from my LJ -- lovely cake!

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Mom made Sandtorte tonight and not only did I help but I finally remembered to get the recipe. This is probably the only one of Oma's recipes I hadn't gotten. So without further delay, the recipe for the bestest German poundcake (and coffee accompanier) ever!

Sandtorte

Makes one 10" ring-shaped poundcake
Total time under 2 hrs.

Ingredients

1 lb. unsalted sweet butter
2 cups sugar
10 large eggs (or 12 if they are smallish eggs)
1/2 lemon's worth of lemon OR 1 tsp. lemon juice
(optional lemon zest, 1/2 tsp.)
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. (min.) rum, almond flavoring, amaretto, anisette, vanilla, etc.

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven 325 F.
2. Soften butter and cream with a mixer 'til all the lumps are gone, gone, gone.
3. Add 2 cups sugar, continue blending with mixer.
4. Add 10-12 eggs. 10 if they are regular large, more if they are undersized.
5. Add lemon juice and/or zest.
6. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, adding 1/2 cup at a time and making sure it's well-blended.
7. Add the baking powder. (Tonight we forgot and it came out OK but for proper rising, add it!)
8. Add liquid flavoring or liqueur to taste. Mom says start with 2 tbsp. to know there's enough and then add in, tasting 'til it meets your taste.
9. Make sure mixture isn't too thick. Should not be thin but shouldn't be like dough either.
10. Keep mixer going at least 10 min. more to get it very creamy and lump-free.
11. Grease 2-piece angel food cake pan -- kind with removable base & pole.
12. Pour batter into pan.
13. Put in 325 F oven for 1 hr., then raise temp up to 350 for 15 min.
14. Insert strand of spaghetti to test for done-ness. Should come out drive.
15. Allow to cool a bit.
16. Because it's a 2-piece pan, to take it out you just push up bottom and pole and there's the cake!

Recommended Serving

Sandtorte is meant to be eaten in thin slices, not big slabs. It should stick together well enough to do this or you've made it wrong or it's not baked enough.

Really good with coffee, esp. dunked.

This is a super easy recipe I made up the other day. Have made it twice this week and it's a new favorite.

PAST WITH TOMATO, GARLIC & CAPERS

INGREDIENTS

olive oil
pine nuts
garlic (minced)
1 tomato (chopped)
capers
oregano
mint (optional)
salt
pepper
pasta (bowtie, ziti, etc.)

DIRECTIONS

Heat water to boiling and throw in the pasta. Meanwhile...

Saute handful of pine nuts and 1-2 tsp garlic in the oil for a couple minutes, 'til lightly browned. Add tomato bits and throw in handful of capers, plus a dash of oregano. A little bit of mint also adds to it. Saute until pasta is done (consult box).

Drain pasta and pour sauteed stuff over it.

This recipe takes about 15 min. and in my version, serves 2. Easy to scale upward or down.

Made this tonight, from a Jewish recipe book, and it was delicious and easy so I thought I'd share.

Easy Baked Fish with Caraway Seeds

Serves 2
Time: 35 min. total

Ingedients
2 filets fish - salmon, tilapia, or other, fresh or thawed
salt
pepper
melted butter
lemon juice
caraway seeds

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease pan, place fish skin side down. Brush with melted butter. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with caraway seeds. Then brush with lemon juice. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Came out very nice and juicy and, strangely, tasted like turkey, probably because of the caraway Easiest fish recipe yet!

This is one of my favorite dishes and favorite recipes ever. I just made it tonight so I thought I'd share it.

The Story Behind It
The story goes that Opa, my German grandfather, learned this recipe while a soldier in the Kaiser's army in WWI. He was drafted at around 16 and served for a year or two until he took some gas, which fortunately didn't maim him for life but did get him out of the war. Anyway, later on, when he got married, this is what he would cook when his wife, who normally did all the cooking, was out of town or sick. My mom loved this stuff as a kid and then years later, when she had her own kids, she made this too -- especially during camping trips. Because there are no fresh ingredients and it can be made with instant potatoes, it's perfect for camping. It doesn't -look- pretty but practically everybody loves it.

Pic!

I know it looks unappetizing but it's good, I swear!

Ingredients
I make it using these ingredients. None of it is very exact and you can substitute real potatoes for fake of course.

1 box (1 lb.)  instant mashed potatoes
for instant  mashed potatoes: milk, butter/margarine, salt, water, as directed on package
1 small can (1 cup) plain tomato sauce
1 can corned beef
1 bottle (1 1/2 cup) sweet gherkins (pickles), chopped
sweet gherkin -juice-

Directions
1) Make the mashed potatoes.
2) Stir in the tomato sauce.
3) Crumble in the corned beef and stir. Leaving it kind of lumpy is OK.
4) Chop up all the gherkins (save the juice) and stir in.
5) Stir in gherkin juice to taste. (I usually use -all- of it.)

Tada!

Tips
Salt, pepper and/or ketchup can be added.